Alstroemeria 'Christina' PP15,048 (Little Miss Christina Peruvian Lily) - A dwarf variety with 6 inch tall spikes of cream-colored flowers in late spring and early summer with tepals marked with splashes of pink and inner petals with maroon-spotted yellow markings near the base. Plants have a crown of slender rhizomes that attach to succulent storage roots below. Each year new unbranched shoots arise from the crown to produce narrow leaves along the stem and an umbel of flowers at the tip. Plant in full sun to light shade and water regularly to occasionally in late spring and early summer. Tolerates fairly dry conditions in coastal gardens but vigor and flowering are best when plants are irrigated. Hardy to 15-20° F but tolerates lower temperatures if well mulched. When trimming or cutting Alstroemeria for flowers it is best to pull the stems out so they break off below ground at the crown to stimulate the formation of new shoots but do so carefully so as not to pull out pieces of the rhizome itself. This plant was hybridized by Robert Adrian Goemans at Chichester in Sussex, England. The male parent is an unnamed dwarf Butterfly-type cultivar and the seed parent was an unnamed Alstroemeria aurea selection. Christina was selected from the resulting seedlings in 1997. It received U.S. Plant Patent PP15,048 on July 27, 2004 and is marketed under the name Little Miss Christina. The genus Alstroemeria (at times spelled Alstremeria) was named by Carl Linnaeus, often called the Father of Taxonomy, for his friend and student Klaus von Alstroemer (Clas Alströmer), a Swedish baron. Alstroemeria come from two areas within South America with summer growing species restricted to eastern Brazil and winter-growing plants from central Chile with common names such as Peruvian Lily, Parrot Lily, or Lily of the Incas.
This description is based on our research and observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We will also incorporate comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information about this plant, in particular if this information is contrary to what we have written or if they have additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Alstroemeria 'Christina' PP15,048.